Hailing from Singapore, the Singapura cat is a unique cat with a little voice and a big personality. This energetic cat will have you wishing you could tap into their level of energy and will provide years of loyalty and fun.

The History of the Singapura Cat

In themid 1970s, Hal Meadow and his wife had visited Singapore for four years through his work as a geophysicist. Upon his arrivaltothe United States, he brought with him five cats with brown-ticked fur. These cats were used as the foundation for a new breed - the Singapura.

Then in 1980, a breeder named Gerry Mayes found another one of these cats in Singapore and brought it home to the United States to entire into the program.

Controversy about the breed arose in 1987 after breeder Gerry Mayes went to Singapore on a cat-finding trip and ended up finding importation papers indicating that the Meadows had brought the Singapura foundation cats from the U.S. to Singapore in 1974. The Cat Fanciers’ Association launched an investigation and found that there was no wrongdoing, and thus decided to keep the Singapura’s status as a natural breed.

Characteristics of the Singapura Cat

The Singapura is very unique looking. The size is quite small and this breed is one of the smallest there is - 4 to 8lbs is the average.

The Singapura's coat is just one color - a vibrant sable brown with an ivory undercoat, which fades to a slight beige on the stomach. The eyeshowever, come in a few variations like hazel, yellow, and green.

A Big Personality

One of the major things to know about the Singapura cat is they have a huge personality. While it has a tiny voice and is known for being quiet, their personality is 180 degrees from that.

Singapura cats love to play. They're very affectionate and retain their playful attitude even as they age. Picture a 10 year old cat hopping around like a kitten and you can get an idea of what this cat is like. Fortunately, they are considered non-destructive so you get the best of both worlds. But keep in mind that their playfulness is going to be non-stop no matter what their age so if you want a cat that ages gracefully, this is not one of them. Instead, they age with passion and play - and multiple cat households are just fine for this breed.

The Singapura is intelligent and oddly enough, they even get along as un-neutered tomcats, which is almost unheard of. Simply put, this is one of the most unique cats around and all because one geophysicist brought a fewbackwith him on his journey to a foreign land.

Health Concerns

This breed of cat is fairly healthy. However, there is a recent discovery that they are more apt to get KPD, or pyruvate kinase deficiency, which causes anemia. There are tests available to see if your cat is a carrier, has this genetic trait, or is free and clear from any indicators. Even if your cat does have KPD, it does not affect their lifestyle.

Have you ever heard of the Singapura cat and does it sound like the breed for you? Let us know in the comments.